His ability to digest innings has improved, and his ball mix has diversified. Now Lee Jeong-yong (27, Lee Jeong-yong) is more suitable as a starting pitcher.
Lee Jeong-yong took the mound as a starting pitcher in the home game against Kiwoom Heroes held at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on the 2nd, and recorded 3 hits, 2 strikeouts and no runs in 6 innings without a walk. He did not become the winning pitcher by crossing the mound in a 0-0 tie, but showed a good pitch to lay the foundation for LG’s 6-3 victory.
The Kiwoom starting pitcher on this day was Ahn Woo-jin, who ranked first in the ERA (2.11) and strikeouts (224) last season (2022). Lee Jeong-yong played a ‘no-running pitcher match’ with league representative pitcher An Woo-jin until the 6th inning. An Woo-jin gave up 4 runs at the end of the 7th inning and became the losing pitcher. It can be seen as Lee Jeong-yong’s victory by decision.
Lee Jung-yong was a setup man who posted 37 holds over the past two seasons (2021-2022). However, in the 15 games he pitched last April, he was sluggish, posting 5 blown saves and an earned run average of 5.93.
LG coach Yeom Gyeong-yeop selected Lee Jeong-yong as the starting pitcher at a time when other domestic starting pitchers had also left due to injuries and sluggish performances. He has been sluggish and induced to raise the sunken energy. He said that he was originally a pitcher who was going to be entrusted with long innings in the long run.
Lee Jung-yong started for the first time on June 25 against the Lotte Giants in Jamsil. He allowed 1 run in 2 innings and threw 49 pitches. Since then, the number of innings digested has increased with each appearance. He blocked 4 innings against KT Wiz on the 27th of last month, his fourth personal starting sortie. And on the 2nd against Kiwoom, he broke the most innings in an individual game. For the first time in his debut, he even recorded a quality start (QS · 6 innings or more and 3 earned runs or less).
The ball composition has also changed. Coach Yeom Gyeong-yeop instructed Lee Jung-yong, who used to compete mainly with four-seam fastballs (fastballs), curveballs, and sliders, to add pitches so that he could compete with batters with more diverse ball combinations. Kim Jin-seong, a team veteran pitcher with good forkball, was also appointed as a ‘special coach’.
Lee Jung-yong threw more forkballs (27) than fastballs (22) in the match against Kiwoom on the 2nd. Lee Jeong-yong expressed his disappointment by saying, “I didn’t have a good control of the poke ball,” but the opponent hitter couldn’t easily attack his ball. Director Yeom Gyeong-yeop also praised, saying, “(The pokeball) was made into a deciding ball.”
In the last 5 games with Lee Jeong-yong as the starting pitcher, LG has won 4. Lee Jeong-yong said, “Only foreign pitchers appeared four times as opponents. The match against Kiwoom on the 2nd was a more terrifying pitcher (Ahn Woo-jin),” he smiled and said, “I didn’t become a winning pitcher, but the team still has many winning games, so I view it positively.” 먹튀검증
After finishing the 2023 season, Lee Jung-yong plans to serve in the Sangmu baseball team. He is accumulating various experiences before enlisting. He said, “It is a season where I am studying a lot regardless of the results. Although positions may change in the future,
LG coach Yeom Gyeong-yeop welcomed him, saying, “The forkball was really good. As it became a deciding ball, the value of slider and fastball pitches also increased. Lee Jeong-yong will continue to be a starting pitcher. He will grow with his current experience.”
